Schools to reopen in Amritsar, Tarn Taran with adjusted hours from Wednesday. Fazilka, Ferozepur schools to remain closed

Schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts of Punjab will resume on Wednesday, following a closure across five border districts, including Fazilka, Ferozepur, and Pathankot, due to heightened tensions. The district administrations of Amritsar and Tarn Taran confirmed the reopening with adjusted timings from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm.

However, schools in Fazilka and Ferozepur will remain closed. The decision comes after temporary closures as a precautionary measure against recent border unrest.

On Tuesday, Amritsar district authorities requested residents to participate in a voluntary blackout starting at 8 pm, advising them to turn off all external lights such as those on verandahs and gardens.

"We will switch off the street lights at 8 pm today. Please follow a voluntary blackout by switching off all your external lights at this time," read a message from the Amritsar deputy commissioner. This measure aims to minimise visibility from across the border. Inside homes, residents were asked to use minimal lighting and ensure no light escapes outside.

The deputy commissioner warned of a potential power shutdown if compliance is not observed during a red alert: "We do not want to centrally shut power. However, in case there is a red alert and we find there is no compliance, we will be forced to centrally shut power." This directive follows a blackout implemented the previous night in Amritsar and parts of Hoshiarpur.

On Monday, an Amritsar-bound IndiGo flight was rerouted back to Delhi due to enforced blackout measures, resulting in the temporary closure of the airport. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal confirmed that the armed forces neutralised a suspected surveillance drone near Mand village in Jalandhar. This incident underscores the ongoing vigilance maintained along Punjab’s 553-kilometre border with Pakistan.

Normalcy began returning to the region on Monday, with bustling markets despite school closures. This follows an agreement between New Delhi and Islamabad to cease military actions after four days of intense cross-border strikes involving drones and missiles.

Such measures highlight the delicate balance of maintaining public safety and daily life amid geopolitical tensions.